Spaghetti Bolognese Business Plan
Ask Me About My Spaghetti Bolognese Analogy (It’s About Business Planning… Honestly)
Recently, in a consultation session with a client, we found ourselves talking about spaghetti bolognese.
Yes, really.
So, what does pasta sauce have to do with business strategy?
Let me explain.
When you’re making spaghetti bolognese, and you’re chopping onions at the start — do you expect them to taste like the final meal?
Of course not.
You understand that chopping the onions is just part of the process.
The browning of the beef, the simmering of the tomatoes, the seasoning, the waiting — it’s all a series of steps that, eventually, come together into something delicious.
The Business Plan Analogy
Writing a business plan is exactly the same.
When you’re researching your market, documenting your goals, writing out product or service features, or doing your PEST analysis — it might not feel like a polished, final piece. That’s because it isn’t (yet).
You’re in the prep stage.
The slicing, the dicing, the simmering.
Each element might feel disjointed or raw. But it’s part of the bigger picture.
And that’s where many people get stuck. They expect their first go at documenting ideas to be the business plan itself — something they could hand over to a bank manager or potential investor.
But here’s the thing…
There’s a Difference Between Planning and The Plan
At Sayers Solutions, we help you work on your business — not just create a document.
That means:
- Reviewing and collecting market intelligence
- Setting strategic goals
- Identifying risks and opportunities
- Mapping out realistic, actionable tactics
- Understanding how to measure your activities and successes
This is the deep work — the foundations — that support all your future decisions.
The formal business plan document? That’s just a snapshot. A summary. A serving suggestion, if we’re sticking with the spaghetti metaphor.
It exists to support the specific communication or funding request you’re making at the time. It’s a useful output — but it’s not where the real value lies.
Let’s Get Cooking
If you’re feeling overwhelmed about where to start with your business plan, or frustrated that your “draft” doesn’t look polished — take a breath.
You’re just chopping onions. And that’s exactly where you should be.
At Sayers Solutions, we’ll help you make sense of the ingredients, guide the cooking process, and make sure what you serve is strategic, digestible, and uniquely yours.
Ready to get started?
Let’s chat — and yes, I’ll tell you the full spaghetti bolognese story over a cuppa.